Flint River - Saturday

[chamookman]

A Buddy and I hit the River after going to the Woods and Water Show yesterday. Never good to catch a fish on the first cast! Flipped a Spinnerbait out when We hit the bank - wham, first Smally. Needless to say, went fishless the next hour :rant: ! Worked Our way upstream trying a variety of lures and decided to head back. Put on a Perch colored Sub-Wart, BINGO. Caught 14 more on the way back to the truck. First time I had hit this particular stretch this year, but there were foot prints along the bank - Robin or Dreamcatcher Maybe? :lol: . Bob WC#253.

[walleye express]

Bob.

Good Job....It's 6:17am and I'm heading out right now for the Saginaw. My bud Ron Coffel and I are going to burn the carbon out of his Lund/Evenrude and throw some spinnerbaits and Bandits in your spots. Don't have any walleye stuff with us. Will post report/Pictures? when I get back late this morning. :chillin:

[robin]

I wish I could say I was fishing. I worked all weekend on my house, but I did get a chance to make a few casts before I went home tonight. I caught one small smallmouth and that was it. I need to get the waders back on and head upstream. The poison ivy is terrible by my place, so unless I put on waders, I'm stuck fishing a very shallow hole. My son and his friends are having a big campout next weekend in the yard, so I'm planning to do some late night fishing on the river. I have visions of slaying the walleye (a dream- maybe, but Saturday hasn't come around yet to bring me back to reality).
One other thing- I had four blue-wing teal feeding at the river this morning. I always enjoy the surroundings when I'm at the river. You never know what will be coming around the bend.

[chamookman]

Robin - I agree, it's allways nice to See the different critters. The last time I walked to My #1spot, about 200 Mallards jumped into the air at once! KOOL! Be adarn good place to hunt if it wasn't inside City Limits :D ! I'm also amazed by the amount of Deer living in the City boundrys. Beavers - Mink - Kingfishers, allways something to watch. Bob

[FISHING101]

I moved from a house downtown to A home on the river about a month ago. :D Since then I have had one sighting of an eagle cruising the river . Was wondering if anyone else has seen one and at what location? I,m located just outside the city limits downriver from town.

[drag44]

Glad to hear someone did good. I took my sister to an area on the Flint Fri. that has always produced for me. We only managed a couple apiece on plastic lizards. We put my boat on the Titt. yesterday and had similar luck. I guess I shouldn't have told her about all the fish she would catch when she got here.

[chamookman]

101 - Saw an imature Eagle close to the Elms Road bridge a couple of weeks ago, headed into Town. My second Eagle sighting on the Flint - KOOL! Bob WC#253.

[robin]

I had an eagle hanging out in a tree on my property for about 2 weeks in the spring when the suckers were running.

Now for the good fishing news. Today I went down to the river with my green spinner to give a couple of casts. The river is VERY low, so I could see the smallmouth that were sitting by the different rocks.
On the first cast I had a strike, but lost what felt like a real hog. With the second cast I picked up a smallmouth about a foot long. As I was reeling it in, another one about the same size was trying to hit the lure the whole way back. It was cool. A couple of casts later I caught nice one (probably 16-18 inches and fat). As I was fighting that one, four other big smallmouth followed it in all the way to the bank. It was definitely a feeding frenzy. I really wanted to throw the waders on, but I didn't have time. With bigger fish in the river, I'm looking forward to it.

Back to the eagle. I'm north of town and I talked to many people that have seen it-as far north as M57.

[chamookman]

Robin - Twice while fishing the Flint, I have caught 2 (two) Smallies on the same lure! Feels pretty weird all of a sudden. This seems to be a Smally thing (following a hooked fish), pays to make a cast around Your buddies hooked fish - river or lake. Bob WC#253.

[scottyhoover]

You guys might not have any water in your fishin' holes soon. I don't know what's going on but they dropped the river level about 3 feet this week. I'm not sure if they shut holloway dam off completely or what.....but its way way down below mott. Also kearsley creek they have shut off to barely a trickle. I thought the fall draw down was starting, not holding water back? anyway...if its low up here like this, it has to be getting dry out by you guys....good luck.

[robin]

You are definitely correct. Even with the heavy rain last night, the river is at its lowest point this year.

[DREAMCATCHER]

Water level is low because of all the water they are holding back in Flint. Was downtown Tues. and Wnes. and the water level in back of Citizens Bank is almost to the top of the sea wall !!!!! No time to fish lately so leave a few for me. Be safe. DC

[scottyhoover]

you work downtown too? I had a suspicion that inflatable dam was closed off....weird stuff. I'm here at UMF but been too lazy to walk out and see the dam by harrison st.

[DREAMCATCHER]

SCOTTYHOOVER- I do not work downtown but I had a trade show at the Character Inn so I wandered down to the water a few times. My wife works at CB and she can see the river from her office. Will tell me when the water level goes up or down. Takes less than a day to verify what she sees in Flushing. Odd that when Flint dumps in the river the water level goes down in Flint and up the further down stream you go. DUMP & FLUSH--not a good way to treat our river!!!! Wish there was an answer that all could live by. Anyone have a handle on this winter? With as cool as the water temps are I would think that our ice is going to be thick if the air temps are normal. Will need to get an extension for the ole' auger. Got to go. Be Safe. DC

[FISHING101]

I have been doing a little exploring during our recent LOW water. The fish have vacated their typical holes. I found a new hole that is extremely DEEP. Not sure what fish and tacics will work best yet. In the hour I spent at "THE HOLE" :fish: I produced several smallies, 1 drum, several catfish ( including a 37" channel cat :yikes: ) Will have to take Dreamcatcher's portable fishfinder down straped to my canoe so I can gat a better feel. On my way back I caught a dozen or so 6-12" smallies and one dandy 18". I,ve noticed the stripes on the smallies have been alot more visible lately. Also have been seeing a large Osprey cruising the river usually flying 10-25" above the water, makes for a great show. As for the water level LOW. The strangest part is that on the 13th it was low, on the 14th it was at it's highest level this summer, then on the 15th it switched back to the lowest its been and has stayed there. I'm eager for the fall run of fish :idea:.

[robin]

Now you've peaked my interest. How deep is deep? Are we talking 10 ft? My hole has disappeared. I can see the bottom from the bank. I have 2 blue heron that have taken up residence at my place. Each day the smallmouth population decreases. The water is so low that I have seen people heading upstream in canoes.
I hope you took a picture of that cat and sent it in. The only master angler patch I have is from a cat I caught a few years ago on the bay. Yours will definitely be one of the top fish taken this year. That's a hog.
Back to complaining- I'm convinced that it is Flushing's treatment plant that is dumping sewage into the water. Every rain ( and I do mean EVERY rain) bring the smell of sewage to my property. It really bums me out. I've got to get up there and ask some questions. Up until a month ago, I didn't realize that the city had its own facility. I had been up to Beecher and Linden Rd complaining to the county. It doesn't take long to figure out that every government agency is only concerned with itself.
On a brighter note, I caught a nice smallmouth on a jig/plastic minnow this morning after I chased off a flock of blue-wings and 3 wood duck.

[walleye express]

Robin - Twice while fishing the Flint, I have caught 2 (two) Smallies on the same lure! Feels pretty weird all of a sudden. This seems to be a Smally thing (following a hooked fish), pays to make a cast around Your buddies hooked fish - river or lake. Bob WC#253.


Bob.

You mean like these two who tried to share my #7 floating Rapala last Spring?

http://www.walleye-express.com/albums/bass/5_9_03Titt_5.jpg

[chamookman]

robin - I agree !!!! You've probably noticed, that the Flushing plant is under construction. Geez, I hope they aren't bypassing anything into OUR River :fish2: ! Whoops, did I just give up one of My spots :dizzy: ? Dan - Yeah, just like that! feels pretty wierd does'nt it? Bob.

[FISHING101]

Robin,
From what I could measure while wading the hole is at least 14'. If I get a chance this weekend I'll be at the hole in my canoe getting a more accurate measurement. The Herons have benn frequenting my back yard as well. Let me know what you find out about that smell. I haven't been able to tell if its coming from the treatment plant or the pump station at the back of Flushing Park. As for the picture of the cat no I had no camera, but I should add it to my wading vest supplies. I think I've got an empty pocket somewhere to fit a camera?

[drag44]

Took my 3yr. old down to the Flint yesterday to try and find "The Carp Monster"( one of the few freshwater fish she hasn't caught yet)
Look what she caught on a piece of corn!
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/526/3174abbie_s_smallmouth.jpg
Maybe with all the sewage getting dumped in the river it's part of thier diet. We did end up catching a big carp but she needed some help reeling her in.

[scottyhoover]

Hey drag great picture. Nice colors on that smalleye too.

[shametamer]

hey scotty..ya gettin any eyes up there yet?

[scottyhoover]

Dude I tell ya....i stand a better chance of getting a walleye at Joes Crab Shack right now....I've been off the wagon for fishing for almost 5 days now....had to kill some sky rats for a few days. I plan on abandoning all my instincts and jigging with minnows tonight. Big BIG BIG cats are on the prowl at night, been catching those my last few trips out in search of eyes....i'm depressed about my ability to catch walleye right now. By all estimates, it should be happening, we've got crap tons of shad on the surface at night, bridges forming funnels, surface of the water is exploding after dark....i can't even figure what I'm doing wrong. ok thats my rant for the day, thanks shamer for bringing that out of me.

[shametamer]

5 days???? geez and there wasn't a major EMS run to resucitate you? but, I DO feel your pain....lol..was glad to help! :grouphug:

[scottyhoover]

Maybe with all the sewage getting dumped in the river it's part of thier diet. We did end up catching a big carp but she needed some help reeling her in.
Thats a very interesting thought, just don't go trying to match any other hatches :)

[robin]

First off, you had better keep that 14 ft hole to yourself. That's a gold mine! Second, I walked up the river this afternoon with only a little success. I picked up 3 smallmouth around 12 inches, one 14 inch walleye, and had another smaller walleye follow my lure back. I also picked up 5 more golf balls off the bottom. I'm a few miles from Flushing Valley. I'm surprised they make it this far.
Are any of you guys fishing the hole behind B******? There's just no way of describing it without giving it away. I always had good success there in the summer. That's the deepest hole I know of so far.
Scotty, I knew a guy that always made sure to fish by the Mt Morris Rd bridge on Holloway when they dropped the water at the end of the summer. He claimed that you could get some real hogs at that time.
Fishing 101- Big mistake not having that camera. If you're serious about the size of that cat, there have only been 4 fish that were larger than yours that were turned in for master angler awards in the past 10 years. Shoo him downstream for me to have a shot.

[chamookman]

The last time I fished, came from the construction site up to the tail of the run behind the B**** spot ;) . If You have any Storm Sub-Warts (Bluegill pattern), that's the place to use 'Em :fish: ! Don't know why that particular lure and color works so well, but it will outfish everything else 2 to 1. Hey Scotty - like that Smalleye thing, better than Wart Fish :lol: !!! Bob.